Christmas Hugs
by Fresh Water Plimpy
Summary: A small one-shot of Severus Snape and Hermione Granger. Set in first year. Comfort, nothing else. Written for the hoildays. Rating for one minor word.


**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter**

**A/N: Just a small one-shot in celebration of Christmas with two of my afavourite characters. Severus Snape and Hermione Granger. Set in first year. Ever so slightly OOC on Hermione's part.**

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Christmas Hugs

Severus angrily wiped his eyes on the back of his hand before he left the unused classroom. What had possessed him to come to this room when he knew he would be heart broken all over again? He thought he was made of stronger stuff, but he had to confess that the lure of the Mirror of Erised was too strong. To see Lily again was all he wanted.

Satisfied that his eyes were dry, he left the room and stalked the corridors, punishing students who were out after curfew. It made him feel a little bit better, at least. As he passed by the library, he noticed a light flickering under the door. Praying it was a Gryffindor, he slipped inside quietly and searched the rows for the offender. At last, he found her.

"Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, for being out after curfew." He cursed his usually silky voice that was now thick with suppressed emotion.

He saw her jump in her chair and her eyes grew wide as she recognised who he was. "I - I'm sorry, Professor," she squeaked. "I was just doing the essay you set us and I didn't realise the time."

"You have three minutes to put the books back on their shelves and get to your dormitory." Severus stood and watched her as she gathered her things and shoved everything in her bag, his hands clasped behind his back.

***

Hermione sneaked a peak at her formidable Potions professor and saw his red-rimmed eyes. She had heard his thick voice, but had just assumed that maybe he had a cold, but the eyes confirmed her suspicions . She realised now that he had been crying and she was secretly amazed. For someone who she thought had tried to fling Harry off his broom, if certainly was a surprise to learn that he could cry.

***

Granger led the way out of the library, Severus close behind her, extinguishing the lamps with a flick of his wand. He locked the heavy door behind him and turned to see the girl still with him. "I thought I told you to go to your dormitory, Miss Granger?"

"Professor, are you alright?"

_Damn it!_ he cursed silently. She certainly saw more than what he gave her credit for. "Get to your dormitory, before I decide to take even more points." he snapped.

Her gaze dropped to her shoes as she muttered an apology.

"Now!"

"Yes, sir." She hurried away from him, but Severus didn't stop to watch. Instead, he went in the opposite direction in search of more students before calling it a night. He was just nearing the end of the corridor when he heard a small patter of footsteps following. They stopped when he did. He turned and jumped back as he saw the Granger girl stood about a foot away from him.

She flung her arms around his waist and said, "Everyone deserves to be happy at Christmas, Professor. Even you. Good night, sir." Then she left.

Severus watched her go, first confused, then astonished, then angry, until he was confused again. Why should she hug him? He was under the impression that she hated him just as much as the Potter brat and the Weasley. Maybe he was wrong.

_Of course I'm not wrong. Stupid, impertinent Gryffindor. Interfering in matters that don't concern her._

Severus went in search of more students to prove to himself that he was still vindictive and cruel. To prove that her small, warm frame had not changed him in any way. To prove that his heart had not been touched. Satisfied that he felt nothing out of the ordinary, he went to his quarters and helped himself to a healthy measure of firewhiskey and toasted to another lonely Christmas, Miss Granger be damned.

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**A/N: What do you think? As I wrote this it is actually snowing! Here, in rainy England, it is snowing _before _Christmas! That never happens. Not in my region, anyway.**

**So anyway, this is just a one-shot for the holidays.**

**Fresh Water Plimpy =]**


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